A young monk came to the wise tea master Lao Cha and found him in a blissful state. So he asked:
– Sensei, what made you so happy and relaxed?
– Oh, young man, I just had a cup of Sakura Sencha. What a delight it was, what bliss! I couldn't help but reminisce on the days of sitting in Izu's cool breeze, with the sakura petals dancing around me.
This tea is a refined blend of premium sencha, produced on a family farm in Shizuoka, Japan, and sakura leaves from Izu. The tea works well at capturing the essence of Spring. Light and refreshing. Smell it, and you will be greeted by a sweet, enjoyable aroma of cherry blossom and green tea. Brew it, take a sip, and be rewarded with an exquisite taste.
Most Sakura Sencha on the market use either rose petals or dried cherry blossoms. Our Sakura Sencha has both Sakura flowers and leaves, making it visually pleasing while enhancing its characteristic flavor and adding up to the aroma. The subtle sweetness of cherry leaves and blossoms perfectly matches sencha's brisk, bold taste. It also reminds of Sakura Mochi, a delightful springtime treat that serves as a "tea food".
The celebration of the Sakura blooming season is a longtime tradition in Japan, dating back to the Nara period (710-794). It marks the start of the planting season and turns into a symbol of hope, life, and a new beginning. Nowadays, Sakura is deeply ingrained into the collective mind of Japanese society. When the time comes for the blossoms to open, people visit parks with sakura trees and organize thematic trips to special areas where they can contemplate the fleeting beauty of the blossoming petals. Many social and cultural sites take advantage of Sakura's connotation: from food and drink, through sports and entertainment to art.
Shizuoka is Japan's largest tea-producing region, and it accounts for roughly a third of Japan's total tea production. Shizuoka has a rich tea history, growing tea for over 800 years. It is one of the original places tea seeds were brought from China by the Zen Buddhist monk Eisai. Many mountainous areas dot Shizuoka's landscape. The volcanic soil is rich in nutritional substances and trace minerals. They get sucked in by the roots of the tea plant and create the unique flavor profile of this specialty tea.
You can enjoy our Sakura Sencha Green Tea, both hot and cold, and it is an excellent complement to desserts! For best results, we recommend starting with 1-2 min steeps and water temperature not exceeding 75C. Then you can gradually increase the steeping time (30sec for the second brew; +15s for each subsequent steep) and the water temperature.
Brewing guidelines:
165℉ / 75℃ for the first infusion; Keep raising water temperature for subsequent infusions
1g per 60ml
1-2min for the first infusion; then 30sec; +15 for each subsequent infusion